1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to the manufacture of integrated circuits. More specifically, but without limitation thereto, the present invention is directed to shielding conductors in semiconductor chips.
2. Description of Related Art
Crosstalk noise is generally capacitively and inductively coupled between traces in an integrated circuit and is most significant when the sources of the crosstalk, commonly referred to as aggressor nets or aggressors, have a fast switching waveform. The switching waveforms of one or more aggressor nets are coupled by parasitic capacitance and inductance to a “victim” net. The crosstalk noise may cause false switching in the victim net (noise violation) or alter the net delay, resulting in failure of the integrated circuit design to meet timing specifications.